Ecolacy - And Then What?

"One of our favorite authors is the ecologist/economist Garrett Hardin, author of works such as Living Within Limits and Filters Against Folly, as well as the famous essay on the “Tragedy of the Commons.” In Filters Against Folly, Hardin outlines his approach to rational thinking through three major filters: literacy, numeracy, and “ecolacy.”

Literacy is easy to define: What do the words mean? Language, as Hardin points out, can be used to inhibit or enhance clear thinking. (Think about how politicians use certain words and phrases to frame issues.)

Numeracy is straight-forward as well: What are the quantities involved? As Hardin saw it, the failure to invoke quantities is a major weak-point in critical analysis. Any competent analyst (not just in business, but in all human endeavor) must be in tune with quantities, numbers, and scale. As for his “ecolate” filter, Hardin focuses on the first law of ecology: You can never merely do one thing. Even the most numerate and literate analyses usually forget to ask the crucial question: “And then what?” It’s a messy question; asking it leads you to a lot of dead ends. But that doesn’t mean it should be ignored. The second order of effects can often dwarf the first."

- More on Garrett Harin's classic phrase "Ecolacy" @ FS